elementary, my dear watson

All I need to transform my web-sleuthing into existence in the material world is a cape. Right now, I am taking cue from literary icon Sherlock Holmes and his tweed cape, deerstalker cap, pipe and magnifying glass. Okay, so I don't have a magnifying glass, but I think I've got the likeness of an optical aide with my geek girl glasses necklace from Lauren. Next...well, I'll have to take a pass on that pipe, thank you. I may be hard-pressed to find such a hat, but that could be my opportunity to diverge from fusty Mr. Holmes-style. Perhaps a turban, for a more mysterious and intuitive means of code-cracking via crystal ball. Or maybe my trusty, perpetually in bloom Naik Fur red knit hat for vibrancy to counteract the stuffy Holmesian cape. The bottomwear leaves all sorts of possibilities; pencil skirts or flimsy deconstructed skirts would surely make the cut for a clever solution, but I think I'd have to stick with shiny blue satin pants or my go-to dark blue skinny jeans if I were doing some legwork around the city. After all, I'd need complete mobility to be able to scale chain-link fences and crouch down behind the magazine racks. The shoes of course, would have to be flats, probably my brown Chloe gladiator-style mary janes.

Last but not least is the cape itself, the inspiration for my investigative inclination. It's a mini-one to be sure (again, for the mobility) and in that archetypal camel color. The cape comes from none other than our cherished high school gal pal, dELiA*s. Should I choose to buy it, you will be sure to find me pattering around on the cobblestone streets, slinking in and out of steamy coffee shops and bookstores as I covertly jot down inspiration, ideas and general gibberish in my elephant-festooned notebook. Better yet, I should wear my outfit as tribute to those sleuths of the cinema while checking out the Brattle Theatre's "Watchin' the Detectives" film series. Chinatown, anyone?